Johnson: Extra excellence

"Thoroughness vs. incompleteness: Attending to details that will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words, if neglected."

Thoroughness tests character, which may be why "roughness" is part of the word. Painstaking. A person committed to perform a task in an excellent manner will plan and readjust the plan, check and recheck his/her work until it is -- well, excellent.

In the newspaper biz, there is a very small item that grabs our attention. We are alert to the dangers of its existence. We consult dictionaries for information. What does it mean? How does it sound? We must know, because the way it is may not be the way it should be or ever has been before and could misdirect the prudent.

This shady character has caused confusion among intellectuals and cost millionaires their money. It has been known to bring together great minds, but this is quite rare. No count has been taken of the weddings called off because of its sabotage.

It never confesses its location and always has a misdirection. Letting it go without a determined, faithful, thorough search threatens job security. Finding it is essential to credibility and character. We search with diligent eyes. Even computers have not curbed its wayward activity. In fact, on occasion, computers have given this spoiler a greater power to discredit and embarrass the writer. It is no laughing matter!

In newspapers, we have terms like "kill" and "morgue," mostly designed for this sneaky creature.

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When, at last, we find where it lurks, we shout and cheer, grateful that truthfulness and tolerance are not compromised. Relieved to maintain enthusiasm for the written word, we whip out our weapon and do away with the spotted botch!

Now it will not be able to cause the reader to stutter, change the meaning of the sentence or suggest, somehow, reporting is incorrect, incomplete or incompetent by association with its existence. But security is short-lived. These seem to run in pairs, even triplets, and they may not look alike at all!

Ah, yes! The typographical error. Adding an "r," as in "your," when the subject is "you." Or multiplying the female presence with "women" rather than "woman." A computer may fix the "ie" situation and take out extra "esses," but cannot fully keep this typographical "easy rider" out of all text. But that's not all!

Woe the misplaced comma or dangling participle! If who kissed whom, would whom slap who? Why less money and fewer people? When was World War 11?

Consider the difference: "No, price too high," and "No price too high." Western Union Telegraph found the price too high when that exact typo resulted in a lawsuit.

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — The death of actor Leonard Nimoy last week has inspired people to post photos on social media of marked-up five-dollar Canadian banknotes that show former prime minister Wilfrid Laurier transformed to resemble Spock, Nimoy's famous "Star Trek" character. Full Story